Mako Mutations
by Zimithrus1
Summary: One day...It all happened so quickly. It started with Cloud going on a mission, and it ended with him comatosed from Mako addiction, but at a high and dangerous level, a level unknown to even SOLDIERs. It is know as Level 8: Contamination and Quarintine. This level attacks the bloodstream, the cells, and DNA of a person. Only few have been known to survive. Now, Cloud might be next
1. Chapter 1: I Am Cloud

Whaaaa~~! Another new story yet again! Stupid plot puppy! No! Don't you give me those cute little eyes...GAhh! Too cute! Anyhow, yes, another new story once again. strange enough, I kinda remembered this from a dream I had...

One day...It all happened so quickly. It started with Cloud going on a mission, and it ended with him comatosed from Mako addiction, but at a high and dangerous level, a level unknown to even SOLDIERs. It is know as Level 8: Contamination and Quarintine. This level attacks the bloodstream, the cells, and DNA of a person. Only few have been known to survive, and the ones that did, have never been the same again. Why? Because level eight, causes physical and internal mutations. One couldn't even imagine the horrors.

Yes, That is my new story right there hehe ^^; well, the summary anyway, well, I hope you enjoy this sick and twisted story about mako addiction, so, enjoy! XD ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~XChapter 1: I Am CloudX~

A mission. It must be important if half of the infantrymen are going to support the SOLDIER troops. What was so dangerous about it? Cloud's unit had yet to be briefed on the situation. They were still preparing. Getting armor strapped securly down, loading guns and taking extra amunition along, as well as a few potions and pheonix downs. Supplies were low, so there could be no wastes, only in emergancies could they be used. They were rationed to each infantryman carefully by a higher up. Cloud had finished loading the standard issiued Shinra shotgun and carefully rested it against his back while fiddling with the stap to keep it secure until needed.

"Alright you all, listen up! It's briefing time!" A higher-up shouted over the rukus of the unit.

The whole room fell into silence and all eyes were on him.

"Alright, you must be thinking that this is a pretty dangerous mission to be sending half of the whole Shinra infantree's here, well, you're absolutly right. This is a very dangerous mission. Be careless, and you could die. You all are assisting four first classes in the retreval of an item extreme importance. What it is, I don't even know, but I know the monsters are nasty, tough, and could eat you in some little bite, SNAP!" The higher-up jumped at the unit.

Half jumped and half slightly yelped.

"Those who yelped need to bring an extra pair of pants with them, cause they just might shit theirselves when they see these monsters!" He chuckled.

Some laughed with the higher-up, and others groaned. Cloud was listening intently to every word spoken. He needed to make a good impression. He wanted to look as if he was already SOLDIER. His gaze was stern and unrelenting. Nothing would shake him up today. He was going to become SOLDIER, no matter what the cost!

"Alright, hurry up. The first chopper is here. Squad A, you board first." He commanded.

Cloud rose with his fellow companions, a few of which he was aquainted with. He didn't really have any friends at Shinra...well, he did have one. A first class SOLDIER named Zackary Fair. He was the first one to ever speak kindly to him besides his few aquainted unit members. They had met on a mission to Modeoheim only just two months ago, and the two were already fast friends. He followed his comrades out of the cramped room and up to the elevator. There was exited and nervous clammer from the six in his squad. Cloud remained calm and quiet. He couldn't let his nerves get in his way today, no, definatly not today. After all, today was SOLDIER recruitment. This could be his big break. he felt butterflies flutter in his stomach. He had been holding them down all day, and now they decided to come and be annoying.

The elevator stopped at the roof and the doors slid open. He followed his squad past a set of heavy metal doors that lead to the helicopter port ontop of the roof. It was already waiting on them. There was to be six choppers, four of those housed the firsts. Who would Cloud's squadron travel with. The answer was clear when he boarded, for he felt a hand ruffle his already crazy hair.

"Heya Cloud! In the same chopper huh? What a coincidence!" Zack smirked.

"Hello Zack." Cloud gave a quick smirk.

The squad and giddy SOLDIER settled into the chopper and it took off into the afternoon sky. In all reality, there was hardly any room in the chopper. Cloud was being sandwiched in the middle between two other comrades.

"Oh drat, there's just hardly any room huh? Well Cloud, looks like your going to have to sit on my lap!" Zack smirked pulling Cloud out of the squeeze and setting him on his lap.

"z-Zack! What are you?-" Cloud fumbled, turning a bright pink color.

"Aww, your so cute when your embarrased!" Zack chuckled, squeeze-hugging his middle.

"c-Cut it out! This is really akward!" Cloud fumbled.

"No it's not! It's fun and cute watching you get all squirmish!" Zack grinned brightly once again.

A friendship gone too far? Or was it somthing more? This question always nagged at the back of Cloud's mind. Zack seemed quite open with this question. Yet Cloud was always unsure. Zack noticed a little keychain dangling from his belt. Zack eyed it.

"w-what now?" Cloud quickly asked. It was a little keychain locket.

"I never knew you carried a little locket around?" Zack said curiously.

"Yeah, I do. My family portrait is in there." He said quietly.

It was a rather small locket, probably and inch big and an inch wide at most. Zack popped it open. It was of his mother, father, him, and a little girl. In which he had never seen before. She had blonde orange hair, and dark seafoam green-blue eyes.

"Hey, whose the little girl?" Zack asked.

"My eight year old sister Rosie." Cloud said, gently snatching the locket from Zack's hands.

"You've never mentioned her before."

"It's because she's been dead for three years now." Cloud said.

"Oh." Was Zack's quick, and only responce. "s-So how'd she...you know...kick the bucket?" He tried to phrase in an appropriate manner.

"I was playing in the Nebel moutians even though I was told not too, well, Roise followed after and tagged along, but we both ran into trouble. A Nebel wolf attacked us. I got bit a few times, but Roise, she tried to run, but wasn't paying attention, and fell into a Mako Pool. I was able to dive in and rescue her, but two days later she died of Mako Poisoning, or in a Shinra matter, Mako Addiction. Ha, the stupid thing was, I dove after her yet I couldn't swim. How I found my way to the surface, I don't know. But since I dove in after her, I got a small case too, but I recovered, So ever since, I've kinda...been afraid of large quantities of Mako." Cloud admitted, shoving the dangling locket into his pant pocket.

He looked out the window, completely forgetting he was still sitting in Zack's lap, but to be honest, he did know, and he didn't mind. Zack was acually smiling. Not becuase of the story, but on the other side of the locket, was a picture of him and Cloud. How sweet.

"Alrighty you guys, we're here." The piolet said as the chopper started to decend. Cloud hopped off Zack's lap as the chopper landed and the squad plus SOLDIER departed. It was in a forest near Mideel. Dence, and thick. Trees, Moss, shrubs and small insect noises could be seen and heard. The piolet took off shortly after.

"Alright, so what do we do here?" A trooper asked the small group of seven.

"Well, according to instructions, we head off to section 38-B on the map." Zack said, pulling it out of his pocket. "It should be just about a mile ahead." He said, putting it back, neatly folded.

"Alright, don't stray too far, and keep an eye out for monsters, they get pretty nasty in this area. Even reports of a behemoth have been filed a few times." Zack said, leading the group.

Cloud tailed behind him, and the others tailed along as well, like baby ducklings following their mother. Weapons were out at the ready and scences were sharp and accurate. The butterflies in Cloud's stomach miraculously found their way back to fluttering in his throat. He gulped down the feeling and continued on. A shrill cry of a monster startled the nervous troopers, but Zack showed no fear. he pressed on, unphased by such a weak monster. Cloud really admired Zack's strength and bravery. The monster was angry and lunged for the troopers. A quick sword swing from the first took care of it in one blow.

"Too easy!" He smirked.

"Knock on wood..." One trooper mumbled to himself.

The group continued on, and within the hour, all the groups and choppers had arrived and were now scoping for the item that needed to be recovered. Only the firsts knew what this item was. Everyone else had been kept in the dark.

"Say Zack, what are we trying to find anyway?" Cloud spoke up.

"Documents. Important documents about Mako and Replication." Zack said.

A trooper from their group spoke up. "Are you kidding with me? Seriously? We come all this way to get stupid documents? We are putting out lives on the line! All for documents! Fuck this, I'm going back." He growled storming off.

"Wait! Come back ! That's not a good-" Zack was interuppted by the man's screams.

Monsters ganged up on him. At least five. By the time action could be taken, it was too late. They ate him. Only leaving the parts they didn't like. Cloud groaned disgusted and dry heaved. The sight of guts. He turned back around and dashed away from the revolting smell.

"Cloud come back! We can't afford another death!" A trooper called.

Zack whirled around from his place at the remains of the trooper. "Cloud! Not that way!" Zack shouted, chasing after.

"Do you know what the hell is back there? You're not going to like it so come back!" Zack cried.

"I'm not staying there! It's revolting!" Cloud sickly shouted, increasing his speed.

A roar shook the earth, and they stumbled. The remaining troopers had followed along with Cloud and Zack. And right in front of Cloud, was a behemoth. He choked on a frightened whimper and scampered back behind Zack.

"I TOLD you not to go that way." Zack said, ruffling his hair, and readying his sword. "Cloud, get your shotgun, we have to take this thing down if we want to get past, You all too!" Zack told the squad.

They all readied their weapons. The behemoth angrily growled and raised a large claw up to swing.

"Scatter!" Zack ordered.

Everyone jumped and rolled out of the way. Upon hearing the shouts, more infantrymen poured in as backup.

"Alright, looks like this thing is going down!" Zack grinned.

But, if most of the infantrymen were here, where were the remaining firsts? Perhaps they had found the documents and were waiting at the rendezvous point. Well, looks like one first and a bunch on infantree's would have to do it. The behemoth was hungry. It lunged into a large cluster, and ate three in one bite, and killed six more by landing on them.

"Holy!" Cloud cried, firing his shotgun blindly. It hit the behemoth in the back of the leg.

"I hit it?" Cloud said, doubtful.

It was enraged and it lunged from Cloud. He rolled out of the way and smacked it with his nightstick.

"Damn...I wish I had a nightstick." Zack complained, while rushing at it.

The behemoth hardly reacted to the swings and blows. Instead, it accumilated a red orange substance in it's mouth, and sprayed it upwards, showering over everyone. It was fira. It burned bad. Half of the remaining infantrymen had at least third degree burns. They were running out of time, and lives. This couldn't go on any longer! Cloud rushed at it. This damned behemoth. It was killing everyone! Even some of Cloud's friends! He widly swung his nightstick at the behemoths face, bashing it over and over again, knocking the spit and blood from it's mouth, knocking out teeth.

"Holy...shit..." Zack said breathless at the newfound anger in Cloud that he had only seen once before.

He snapped out of it and continued to help. The behemoth had enough and jumped back. Crushing more infantrymen. Now less than twenty, including Cloud, were still alive. Out of half of shinra, only less than twenty remained. This had to end now! Before they were all killed! Zack gave everything he got into his swings, proving to be slightly more effective than before. But this behemoth was tougher than it looked. It's tail knocked Zack back into a tree. He was disorianted.

"Zack!" Cloud cried running at him.

"Behind you Cloud!" Zack shouted.

Too late. It's tail smacked Cloud too, through a tree and slammed against another one. He let out a grunted scream and tried to get up. No use. Zack shook his head slightly. His body was refusing to cooperate. Now that this squads only hope at survival was down, they were sure to die. The behemoth snorted at the two, in a way, telling them to stay there. The remaining infantrymen began to flee, but that only exited the behemoth. It lunged at them, landing on them, and eating them. Then, a blizzarda hit the behemoth square in the face. It was Angeal. He was out of breath. HIs eyes widened when he saw the carnage. The behemoth whimpered angrily and shook it off.

"Get outta here!" Angeal shouted, charging at the behemoth.

It loudly growled and swatted Angeal away.

"You Stubborn Bastard!" Zack shouted, still trying to pull himself together.

Cloud was only successful in hunching up to his hands and knees. The behemoth didn't take kindly to that insult, but Angeal, the real threat, needed to be taken care of first. The behemoth growled angrily. It would be harder to take Angeal down, that much was for sure. It paced quickly, thinking of it's next attack. Then it knew. It charged and Angeal, but at the last moment, feinted and ran at Zack. When Angeal chased the behemoth, It spun around and it's tail whacked him and sent him flying. A crash course with a large boulder. The behemoth was successful. This was the smartest Behemoth Zack, Cloud, or Angeal had ever encountered. Now, after all that running, fighting and leaping, the behemoth was hungry again, and this time he wanted an easy kill. It was able to slowly stroll without a care of being hurt. For no one could hurt it right now. It passed Zack and sniffed at Cloud.

"Back off!" He grunted.

The behemoth slammed its claw onto Cloud, flattening him to the ground in a tight pin.

"Ghh.." Cloud choked.

The behemoth wanted the prey to be still as he ate it, how to do this? Oh, he knew. He gently picked Cloud up in his mouth and slowly strolled up the hill behind Zack some. Cloud saw, and immediatly began to freak out and scream. A Pool of Mako. A deep one at that. Deeper than the one Rosie had fallen into. More dangerous. The more Mako in the pool, the more deadly the doseage. The behemoth dropped him into the pool. It howled victoriously. Over from Zack's disorianted spot, he heard Cloud scream. When he turned his head to look, he saw the behemoth drop him into a pool of Mako. Cloud's words from earlier echoed in Zack's mind...

'The stupid thing was, I dove after her, yet I couldn't swim.' Oh Shiva.

Zack's mind began to race, and suddenly, his disoiantation was lifted and he quickly jumped up. He mad dashed to the pool with sword at the ready. The behemoth was holding him down, stepping on him at the very bottom. Oh-no. That bottom was the worst place to be. That's where all the fresh Mako was. The behemoth needed to be killed before he could save Cloud. Adreniline was coursing through his veins. Strength, speed, and intelligence heightened. He was able to think of the behemoth's next attack before it was performed. He sliced at it's legs, middle, neck, arms, claws, face. Everywhere he could. The behemoth weakly growled and it began to stumble.

"This is for killing everyone, hurting Angeal, and hurting Cloud enough to make him suffer!" He shouted, ramming the sword through the behemoths chest, ramming into it's heart.

He quickly pulled the sword out, and the behemoth fell over onto it's side, dead. "Cloud!" Zack shouted, diving into the pool.

This wasn't good. He had been under for over five minutes, this amount of mako exposure could be bad. He opened his eyes and searched through the pool of mint green liquid. he searched the bottom, and found Cloud, face up, eyes closed, breathing in the mako. Zack quickly swam to him and wrapped his arms around his waist. He swam upwards, fast, faster, until they broke through to fresh air. Zack pulled themselves out of the Mako and onto dry land. He coughed some and went straight over to Cloud. He was not breathing.

"Oh no you don't!" Zack exclaimed.

He began to perfom CPR on him. For a SOLDIER, knowing that was quite neccicary in case a comrade fell under like this. Two minutes passed. Nothing.

"Come on, please don't make me do mouth-to-mouth, because I will if I have to, you hear me?" Zack told Cloud, while still pumping away on his chest.

Three minutes, still nothing.

"That's it, mouth-to-mouth, you asked for it." Zack said as if it was a punishment, rather than to save his life.

Three more minutes of CPR, and finally, he coughed up Mako. Zack sighed relieved. he kept coughing it up and moaning nonsence. Zack hugged him tenderly.

"See? Your okay, you're safe now. Come on, let's not let you end up like your sister." Zack said, picking him up carefully.

He was careful when walking back to the rendezvous point. Angeal had recovered and was waiting there. He only suffered minor head injury. And the other two firsts were also waiting, documents in hand.

"Zack, where are the rest of the infantrymen?" Sephiroth asked.

"Dead. We had a run in with a real nasty Behemoth. the only infantryman that made it is the one I'm holding." Zack said, approaching the group closer.

"He doesn't look too good." Genesis spoke up.

"No...This behemoth was smarter than any other I have ever encountered. it held Cloud underwater, in a Mako Pool." Zack said, seriously.

No humor was eminating from anyone.

"For how long?" Angeal asked.

"If I had to be presice, I would say at most, seven minutes, at least five." Zack said. The group was waiting for a return chopper.

"That's not good." Sephiroth stated quickly. "That's not good at all, this is bad." he added.

"I know." Zack said.

"No Zack, It's not your ordinary case of Mako addiction." He said.

"Not ordinary?" Zack questioned.

Cloud had stopped coughing and was out of it. His eyes were open, but he was unresponcive to anything. He couldn't even mutter.

"It depends, tell me how big, and deep the pool was. This information is crucial if Cloud wants to survive." Sephiroth said. A strict scowl on his usually calm face. This must be something if even the great Sephiroth got worked up. Meaning, this WAS serious.

"The pool was about twelve feet wide, fifteen feet long, so if I calculate all that, then the pool was about sixteen feet deep."

"Tell me, was he at the bottom the whole time?" Sephiroth asked. His eyebrows seriously furrowed.

"He was." Zack said.

"Then we need a chopper, right now. With my calculations, if Cloud has the type of Mako Poisoning I think he does, he won't be alive within the hour."

Zack's eyes widened in fright. A soft whirr could be heard.

"There's the chopper now." Genesis said.

"Good timing." Angeal noted.

"No, It's timing couldn't be better." Sephiroth seemed to correct. "Let's hurry." He said as the chopper landed.

Cloud, was still unresponcive.


	2. Chapter 2: Mako Addiction Level Eight

Alright, it's chapter two! Out so quickly for my readers, and I thank the two who reviewed so quickly, you really got me motivated to make chapter two so fast :) Anyhow, enjoy chapter two!  
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~XChapter 2: Mako Addiction Level EightX~

The four, plus infantryman in hand, quickly boarded the chopper. It was tence. So tence you could cut it with a knife. It felt to be choking and corroding the air within the chopper. Stale and sour. They got situated and the chopper began to accend into the evening sky, the sun, touching the horizon and gliding over it's surface slow and smoothly. The moon and a few dim lit stars shone above faintly, like a gentle breeze could blow away their light. It was silent in the chopper. The only thing you could hear was soft breathing from the firsts, and choked, raspy breaths from the infantree. It was amazing how he was still barely hanging on.

His eyes, open and twisted in fear, were now a marvelous sky blue. Not like his original color or blue eyes before. They were eminating brightly, as if the whole world's lights werre to blow out, his eyes alone could be used to light up a small portion of a house. In all reality, It was more frightening than calming, especially when life was hanging by no more than a strand of hair. Not even thread. His chances of surviving were slipping. Everyone knew this.

"He's colder than ice." Zack finally said, breaking the choking silence.

"Alright, it's about time I tell you somthing about Mako addiction." Sephiroth quickly said. As if he was waiting for someone to break this icy tension.

"Seph, we all know." Angeal spoke up quietly, as if Cloud was only sleeping and he was trying not to wake him.

"Not like I know. I was researching Mako Addiction, and came across a book in the off limits section. Even off limits to SOLDIER's, first class or not." He said, closing his eyes as his brows furrowed together in deep concentration.

"You went into the restricted section?" Genesis asked, intruiged.

Only scientists of great importance were allowed to see restricted documents.

"Yes, let me continue." Sephiroth interuppted.

Zack's gaze was averted to Sephiroth, intent on every word the General spoke, yet his grip on Cloud's shoulders was firm and unrelenting.

"Based on Zack's, and my calculations, I've concluded that Cloud here, has an extremely dangerous level of Mako running through him. You see, it is common knowledge that there are only seven levels of Mako addiction, am I correct?" Sephiroth asked the group.

"Seph, that's common knowledge." Zack said, as his brows forrowed together in confusion at where the General was leading them on.

"Well, that is a lie. There are eight levels of Mako addiction. Level eight has been kept secret from everyone, except the president, and the head scientists at Shinra." Sephiroth said quickly and bluntly.

"Eight levels? That's ridiculus!" Angeal almost shouted.

"Was that printed in the restricted book?" Zack asked, having a nagging feeling that it was. Sephiroth only nodded.

"You see, level one is known as 'Regular Intake.' In which is extremely harmless, even an infant could posess this level and still live. Then there is level two, which is known as 'Small Outbreak.' This is the level that third and second class SOLDIER's are doused with. Only small enough to enhance physical strength and stability.  
Level three is known as 'Moderate Outbreak.' In which, what we firsts are showered with. Still not toxic or dangerous, but the right amount increases Mental and physical stability. Level four is when it gets dangerous. Level four is know as "Small Contamination.' Which is only dangerous when one person has been exposed to say, a Mako Pool, for one minute. not too bad and they recover as if it was only a small flu.

Level five is when it gets bad. For level five is known as "Moderate contamination.' This happens when exposed to a Mako Pool for three minutes, this is when dangerous side affects take place, such as muscel spasms, and slight comatose. Level six is known as 'Large Contamination.' This happens when exposed to Mako for four minutes. The side effects for six are muscel spasms, a heavier form of comatose, and prolonged recovery rate. The recover in a few weeks, but are weak internally, such as walking, talking, you know.  
Level seven is known as 'Quarintine.' Where one is exposed to Mako for five minutes. The sides effects for this causes heavy comatose, prolonged fever and aches, and decresion of motor skills, again, affecting one's ability to walk or talk, and other things neccicary to survive." Sephiroth paused for a breather.

Everyone was intent. Cloud's breathing slowed slightly, but remained steady. Nothing to worry about, yet.

"Level eight, is known as 'Contamination and Quarintine.' This level is extemely dangerous. This level occurs when one has been exposed to Mako for over six minutes. This causes Prolonged comatose, prolonged sickness, seizures, high amounts of blood conamination, dangerously high fevers, and mental and physical brain wave decrease, meaning, they become more like sick and helpless premature birthed infants.  
But that is not even the worst. The worst part, from what I've read, Is that if they do survive, within a week or two of signs of showing recovery, somthing terrible happens and they are changed forever. That's all it said, it never went into detail." Sephiroth said, finally finishing his explination of Mako levels and their side affects.

Zack clinged to Cloud even tighter. Cloud was going through the tortures of hell it seemed and Zack couldn't do a damn thing! Cloud began to shake, and his breaths became irregular. Zack felt his forehead, and quickly pulled his hand back. He was burning up. it felt as if his flesh was liquid fire.

"He's not cold anymore, now it's like he's on fire." Zack spoke up.

Everyone's attention turned to them. Cloud's breaths were sharp and quick, still irregular. his eyes, still open and frightened. Looks like he's already experiencing the symptoms. Angeal piped up quietly.

"Hey! How much longer to Midgar?" Genesis called to the piolet.

"About five more minutes." He responded.

"Come on Cloud, hold out for just five more minutes." Zack whispered to him.

Cloud was beginning to twitch and violently shake.

"Hey, what's going on with him now?" Zack asked to anyone in the chopper that might have an answer. Sephiroth took a quick glance at him.

"It appears a seziure comes quicker than I thought." He said, yet it sounded as if he grunted that sentence out.

"Sezuire?" Zack exclaimed.

"Yes, If we don't get to Midgar within a few more minutes to get him stabilized, he's going to die."

"No way! I won't let that happen! It can't happen!" Zack shouted shakily.

His teeth were gritted together tightly and he was gripping Cloud so tightly that his knuckles were starting to turn white. He really cared for him, he couldn't loose him! He wouldn't loose him!

"Alright we're here." The piolet said, landing on the helicopter port on the roof of Shinra.

"Well, shall we?" Genesis said, hopping off after opening up the door.

The rest scampered out and hurried to the infermary. Having to take the stairs since it was taking too long to arrive. The ran all the way to floor sixty, the infermary floor. The four burst in through the metal double-doors. A nurse quickly hurried up to them.

"Who's injured here?" She asked calmly.

"Him." Genesis said, pointing to Cloud, securly in Zack's arms.

"Alright, follow me." She said quickly walking ahead.

For a nurse, her outfit was against dress code. Instead of a white dress and flat shoes, she was wearing a black baggy jacket over the issued white dress, in which that was purposly ripped and torn at the bottom, and she was wearing knee-high converse. Her hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, bouncing along as she hurried the four to an ER room.

"What level Mako addiction is it?" She asked after the story was told and more nurses hurried in to get Cloud stabilized.

"Level eight." Sephiroth said.

The nurses faces fell into shock. Only scientists, the president, and the medical teams knew about it.

"We've got to hurry then." Another said.

"You've got to wait outside, all of you." The nurse who led them to the room said. Angeal and Genesis left, Sephiroth followed later, dragging Zack out of the room.

"Why can't I be in there?" he quickly asked as he was freed from Sephiroth's grasp.

"It's against the rules. They apply to everyone, SOLDIER or not." Sephiroth said, walking over and taking a seat on a bench. Genesis was already sitting there reading LOVELESS.

"Ghh.." Zack grumbled, pacing near the room impatiently.

"I might as well go fill in the president on what's happened." Angeal said.

"You'll need back up evidence, I'll go." Genesis said.

"I have to come too, I'm the one with the documents after all." Sephiroth said, getting up from the bench along with Genesis.

"Zack, you'll have to come to and give a briefing of that went down on your end. After all, your the one with the tell-tale story to tell." Angeal said.

"No, I'm not leaving Cloud here alone." Zack said quickly.

"Zack...that's an order." Angeal said sternly.

Zack grit his teeth, but obeyed his orders. "Fine, But right after, I'm coming back to see Cloud, you hear me?" Zack said.

"Understood." Angeal said.

The four left the infermary floor and went up to the president's office by stairs. Turns out, the elevator was undergoing repairs. Zack was the first one up. The sooner he got done, the sooner he could go back and see Cloud.

"Come on! Hurry up!" He called down to the others before slipping in through the door.

"Impatient much?" Genesis smirked.

"Well, imagine this. Wouldn't you be impatient if someone colored in LOVELESS, and you knew who it was but couldn't go destroy them because you had a report to fill?" Angeal smirked.

"NO ONE TOUCHES LOVELESS!" Genesis shouted, racing up the steps to join Zack in the president's office.

"I knew that would get him going." Angeal smirked.

Sephiroth couldn't resist a chuckle. The two made it up and joined Zack and Genesis in the office.

"Gen...you do realize that was a figure of speech?" Angeal chuckled.

"...y-YEAH!" Genesis exclaimed. The he paused in thought for a minute. "Did you just call me Gen?" He exclaimed.

"Aww, what's wrong? Don't like your nickname? Okay, then how about Genny?" Sephiroth teased.

"I WILL GUT YOU IF YOU ARE NOT SILENT!" Genesis shouted.

"Could you three hurry it up?" Zack impaiently said.

"Well, looks like the puppy has spoken, let's go, or we might get bit." Genesis joked.

"Shut up Genny." Zack quickly and emotionlessly said.

Genesis fell into a scowl after that. He wanted to hurry up and finish the briefing so he could go see Cloud again.


	3. Chapter 3: Mutations

Alrighty! Time for Mako Mutations chapter three! :D This chapter is where things pick up and start to become really serious :) So, Enough of my top of the story random ramble, and onto the story XD Enjoy as always!  
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~XChapter 3: MutationsX~

As soon as the report was filled, Zack quickly rushed down the staircase, all the way back down to floor sixty. He arrived out of breath and heavily panting. He took a quick breather and ran a gloved hand through his hair as he began to catch his breath little by little. When it boiled down to an urgent matter at hand, Zack was quick and dilligent, although he could become quite clumsy. Just earlier, he had tripped on the staircase, but used the railing to catch himself before tumbling. He steadily approached the same nurse from earlier. The one with the jacket and converse.

"Oh, so your back?" She said.

"Yeah, tell me, how is he?" Zack asked, very seriously. His eyebrows were furrowed.

"Well, we did what we could..." She began.

"Are you telling me he's dead?" Zack said. He was doing his best to keep his bundled nerves under control, but it was of no avail, his calm demeanor was vanishing and his question was shakily yet somehow quietly shouted.

"No, he's stabilized. Please let me finish next time before jumping to conclutions." She said, motioning Zack to follow her down a hall. He strode up quickly next to her side. The girl was quite short for her age.

"In order to stabilize him, we had to remove half of his Mako-contaminated blood, and give him a few transfusions at once of his bloodtype."

"So, he's okay?" Zack quickly asked. Hope gleaming in his electric blue eyes.

The nurse released a heavy and pent up sigh. She ran a hand through the hair that was not secure in her ponytail. She stopped outside a room, and Zack stopped almost simultaniously.

"We can only hope he stays okay. This is a very serious case. If a level nine exsisted, he would be only a few ounces of Mako pollution away from it." She said, slowly creaking the door open. "He's in here. I should just inform you that he's under heavy comatose." She said, swinging the door open all the way.

Zack quickly stepped in.

"I'll give you some privacy. I'm sure you're worried." She said, slowly creaking the door closed behind her. She slowly walked away from the room and back to the main lobby of the floor.

It was a bare white room. Only one small window was present, too small, and too high up on the wall to see from, but just enough for natural sunlight, well, in this case moonlight. There was a chair, pulled up to the bed. Zack took a seat, and took a moment to really look over Cloud. His eyes were still brightly raidiating, but he had an overglaze, in what you would see in a blind man's eyes. The only thing he could do right now, was blink, but not even that well. His blinks were slow, and looked to be forced, instead of natural. Zack was cautious when running a gloved hand through Cloud's wheat blone hair. Spikes standing on end.

"Hey. I know this is probably a stupid thing to say right now, but I hope your doing okay." He slowly and quietly said, almost as if he was afraid to speak.

He recieved a slow and forced blink. Moisture quickly returning to his bloodshot blue eyes.

"So...I heard the Mako addiction was a pretty serious case." Zack said.

He felt like he was talking to himself, but with Cloud there, only able to listen, it felt like he wasn't going completely out of his mind. he did not recieve a blink this time, but Cloud's eyes were locked on him. As if he was intent on listening to every word that Zack spoke. Yeah, obvious question.

"Well, at least your okay." Zack said, with a small grin.

He recieved a blink this time. Cloud's face was frozen in nuetral, he had no emotion. So happiness, no fear, no sadness. What he did look like though, was dead. He was exteremly pale. His cheeks had almost absolutly no color. The only thing that was raidiant about him, were his bright Mako blue eyes. He had two blood transfusions in each arm, an I.V and an oxygen tube to make breathing easier.

"Poor Cloudy." Zack softly pouted, running his hand through his hair again. No blink was given.

A nurse quietly entered the room. "Fair? Let's let Cloud sleep for a bit alright?" She asked.

"y-Yeah." Zack said slowly rising from the chair.

"I'll be back later Cloud, you rest up, okay?" Zack said, giving a quick grin.

He left the room with the nurse and his door was closed softly. It shut in place with a soft click. Zack quickly left from the hall and disappeared into the lobby. Sephiroth, Angeal, and Genesis were there.

"So, how is the little chocobo?" Angeal asked.

"He's okay for now." Zack said, speaking up a little louder.

"Well, we can't be too sure if he remains in the clear or not." Sephiroth added. His arms were crossed and eyes were closed. He was resting against a wall.

"I know that." Zack quickly said, slightly louder than the first sentence.

"Well, there is that one shred of hope that he does make it out of this alive." Angeal said.

"Ha, hope? Such a thing doesn't exsist." Genesis finally spoke. "No, he doesn't need hope to survive right now. He needs a miracle." He added on, a small little smirk across his face.

"A little hope never hurt anybody." Angeal said, giving a quick glance at Zack. "It helps when you have more than one person with hope." He added, giving him a familier look before that Zack couldn't recall somehow.

"All we can do is wait...Hopefully the saying that 'Time Heals' is true." Sephiroth said, leaving the lobby and going to the stairs.

Genesis followed behind shortly after.

"Zack, make sure you get some rest." Angeal said.

"I will." He replied.

Angeal also followed the two and took the stairs. Zack released a small sigh and headed for the stairs as well. Only time would tell. All in due time...All in due time.

~~[Eight Days Later...]~~

It was a rainy morning. Cloud had started to finally come out of his comatose two days ago. He could already move and sit up all by himself. He did have some troubles in eating by himself. Zack visited everyday. It looks like Cloud was going to make it out of this and recover as if it never happened. For the first few days of his comatose, the only thing he could think about, was ending up like Rosie; dead and six feet under. Today ws different. Yes, it was indeed raining, softly pattering against the tiny window. Cloud had been feeling sharp pains in his right arm since yesterday morning, but he dare not tell anyone, especially Zack! His right eye would twitch and have spasms on occation as well. it must be part of the recovery process, that's all. He was sitting up and listening to the rain, a dull yet throbbing pain in his right arm again.

"I..Wonder what's going on with me?" He asked himself slowly, taking time to process his words.

He felt a nagging headache as well. "Stupid...headache." he grumbled. Ruffling his hair up fursiously, as if he was trying to desperatly remember somthing.

It was still early. Zack wouldn't come for a visit for another hour. His eyes slowly manuvered around the room. Still the same as it had always been. He messed with the blanket, draped lazily around his waist. After all, what else was there to do? The dull pain in his right arm intincified and became a sharp stabbing feeling. He groaned and tightly clentched his arm. The pain was as if his arms was trying to be forcefully ripped from his body.

"Ghh!" Cloud grunted, squeezing his eyes shut. He waited for the pain to disappear, like it always did. But this time it was persistant and refused to fade away. Not like before.

He opened his eyes back open to observe the pain. There was no source or wound to make it act up though. His eye also began to twitch and tremble, making vision in his right eye blurry and shakey. he cupped a hand over that eye. It made him nausious when the world seemed to shake like that. Then, his back began to ache and hurt.

"What...the hell is going on?" Cloud grunted.

As a nurse came in to check up on him, she saw him doubled over in pain, clutching his arm. "Hey! What's wrong? Are you okay?" She quickly asked.

"m-My arm...My eye...My back...It h-Hurts." He whimpered.

When he looked up at her, tears were flowing from his eyes.

"Hold on, I'll give you a painkiller so just-" She stopped midsentence when she saw his eyes.

"w-What's wrong?" Cloud asked, frightened.

"Your eye..." She harshly whispered.

She pulled out a little pocket mirror from her skirt pocket and held it up so Cloud could see. His right eye was crying blood and Mako. He freaked out and screamed.

"It's just a nightmare! That's all this is!" He reasured himself loudly.

The nurse began to fret, she had no idea what to do. "s-Should I get Zack to help calm you down while I get help?" She suggested.

"No! Don't get Zack! I don't want him to see me like this!" Cloud exclaimed, not having to slow or slur his words.

Little did he know, Zack had already arrived at Shinra was was heading up the stairs to see him. Then, a throbbing pain eminated from his right eye. The nurse quickly ran out to get help.

As she left, Cloud felt his right eye, implode.

Blood and Mako poured out from his socket. He screamed and squirmed wildly. Then the pain inticified even more in his right arm. Outside, a nurse was screaming to get Hojo down here immideatly.

Then, just as his eye did, his arm also burst.

Blood and Mako littered, splattered, and stained the bed, walls, floor, and himself. The bits of hit body that had been 'Removed' desinigrated into nothing but a pool of Mako. He gripped his shoulder, holding where his arm should have been, no longer covering his eye. Meanwhile, Zack had arrive on the infermary floor, and it was in an uproar.

"Hey, what's going on?" Zack asked a nurse.

"It's horrible! The level eight Mako paitent! There's somthing wrong with him!" She exclaimed.

Zack's eyes instantly widened and he mad dashed to Cloud's room. He swung the door open, and was immidiatly shocked, scared, frightened, and horrified. He said Cloud, missing his right eye and arm, and blood, everywhere, streaking down his body and the walls and puddling the floor. Cloud let loose with a bloodcurdling scream, the pain in his back was unbearable!

He hunched over, and his back exploded in Mako and blood, splattering the walls behind him.

Then, two fleshy, muscel and red-stained tissue masses rose from his back. They looked like globs of shedded skin and a bloody mass of flesh. Like a big red and tan organ. The two masses seperated, and spreaded out. They were fleshy wings. Made of only muscles, tissue, veins, and flesh.

The smell in the room was growing revolting. Cloud was screaming and crying as the fleshy wings flapped and sprayed blood everywhere on the room, splattering the bottom half of Zack's uniform.

"c-Cloud!" He finally shouted.

Cloud slowly looked up. Blood staining his face and body. He looked so frightened and scared. Zack began to approach him.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" Cloud shouted, still gripping where his right arm should have been.

"Cloud...What on earth happened to you?" Zack asked, still approaching slowly.

"STOP! DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!" Cloud shouted.

Zack ignored him and continued to approach. "You must be in so much pain...You must be so scared." Zack said, only feet away from him now.

"HOW ARE YOU NOT SCARED OF ME! I'M A FREAK NOW! SHUN ME ALREADY!" Cloud shouted, flapping his fleshy wings at Zack, as if that would work in driving him away.

But Zack only lifted his hand, and softly pressed it against Cloud's cheek tenderly. "Cloud...I am scared of you...To be honest, I'm horrified of what's become of you...But, Cloud, You are still you...And you are still the same boy that I love." Zack said. His other hand touched one of his wings.

"No...I'm-I'm not the same! I-I will never be the same again!" Cloud whimpered, starting to cry again.

"Don't say that." Zack said, now hugging him instead.

Cloud's fleshy wings fell to his side as he wept. Soon, the door opened. Zack looked over. There as the head of the science department, Hojo.

"I don't believe my eyes...A level eight." He seemed to gasp with no breath.

"Look at those mutations. They've given him wings, and cast off his right arm and eye...I haven't seen a case like this in fifteen years." he said, eyes widened behind his thin-framed glasses. "Look at that. Even his hair color is changing." He said.

Zack took another look at Cloud. The tips of his hair were midnight black, also were a few streaks.

"Hojo, what's happened to Cloud?" Zack quickly asked.

"First, bring him to my lab, then we talk." He said.

"Alright Cloud, come on." Zack said, about to lift him up.

"No!" He shouted, letting his fleshy new additions envelope and hide him.

"Cloud? Don't you want to know what's happening to you?" Zack asked tenderly. Cloud's wings slight parted, just enough for Zack to see his bloody face. His wings fell behind his back.

"Alright, upsie-daisy." Zack said, hoisting him up bridal style. He was careful in moving him, so he wouldn't bump his wings, or his injuries.

"Yes, yes...Follow me. We're going up to floor sixty seven, my lab, and there I can tell you what's going on." He said, leading the way. "Good thing I know of a secret elevator that leads directly to my lab." Hojo grinned, going to the elevators.

He went behind a restricted door, and there was an elevator there. "Get in." Hojo said. Zack obeyed and entered the small elevator.

"Hey, you okay Cloud?" Zack asked.

"How could I be?" Cloud weakly whimpered. That quieted Zack until they arrived at the lab.

"Okay, set him there." Hojo instucted, pointing to a metal lab table.

Zack gently set Cloud onto the table as Hojo began to hook him up to wires and machines.

"So, you going to tell us what the hell just happened to Cloud?" Zack asked.

"Ak-ak-ak! You be patient!" Hojo crooned, taking a small blood sample from a bloodstreak of Cloud's face, below his missing eye. He quickly analyzed it.

"Ah, I see..." Hojo muttered, entering things down on his computer. Cloud and Zack watched and waited in an agony filled suspence.

"Alright, I've calculated everything down." Hojo said after twenty minutes of silence. "So? What's the cause?" Zack asked.

"Whenever Cloud was under in Mako for over seven minutes, he was already labeled at Level eight, and what happens in level eight...Is mass mutations." Hojo said, adjusting his glasses.

"Mutations?" Zack curiously repeated.

"Yes, you see, the amount of Mako merging with the bloodstream, creates more flesh, mucsels, tissue, often creating another organ or another part of the body. And in this case, It creates doubled the tissue, flesh and muscel." Hojo explained.

"So why did my arm and eye fly off and explode?" Cloud angrily, and very upset-ly, shouted.

"Well, your blood count tripled, and your body couldn't hold that much blood. You see, the average human houses twelve pints of blood in there bodies, you were containing twnety pints, something had to give and release all that blood. So, your arm and eye became a sacrifice to expell the blood." Hojo said informatively.

"So, why did that cause him to grow wings? And have his hair color changed?" Zack asked.

"That is another part of the mutations, it alters a persons DNA, otherwise, recreating the same person. Thus, it gave Cloud black hair. That seems to be the only DNA change." Hojo calculated.

"i-Is there a cure?" Cloud spoke up shakily.

"No." Hojo said bluntly. "You are stuck the way you are for the rest of your life." Hojo added on seriously.

That silenced Cloud.

"But for now, we need to do somthing abuot your injuries. You can't just go walking around with your shoulders' insides exposed. Same with your eye." Hojo said.

He looked around his lab for a minute, before soming across a long black cloth. "Here. This will serve as a decent eyepatch." He said. He handed it to Zack.

"While you tie that around his head, I'll get some things to close his wound up." Hojo said, going deeper into his lab and disappearing fron sight.

You would only hear clamor from him looking for certain things. Zack carefully rested the cloth over Cloud's missing right eye He then tied it to fit comfortably and snug around his head.

"Is that good?" Zack asked. He got no responce. "Is it too tight?" He asked.

Cloud only burst out into more sobs. Zack hugged him from behind gently, careful to avoid bumping into his wings.

"Zack...I'll never be the same again. I'm going to look like this for...forever! What will my mother think?" He sobbed.

"Cloud...It's not like because you've changed that she's going to disown you...She's still your mother, and I'm pretty sure she'll love you no matter what...I still do." Zack said, kissing him tenderly on the head.

"Don't call me Cloud anymore." Cloud said suddenly after a pause of silence.

"Wha-? Why?" Zack suriously asked, circling Cloud to look at him in the eye.

"I'm not the same anymore, therefore, I should have the same name as who I used to be. So, please don't call me by that name anymore." He pleaded.

"Cloud..." Zack began to say.

"Don't call me that! If your going to call me anything remotely close to that, at least call me ThunderCloud." He said somberly.

"Sorry, other people can call you that...But I won't." Zack said firmly.

"Zack..." Cloud started to say, but he stopped. "...Okay." He said after a small pause of silence.

Hojo soon returned. "Alright. I'm going to close up that wound." Hojo said.

"Shouldn't a nurse do it?" Zack asked.

"Please! There all too scared!" He scoffed like a know-it-all.

Cloud's eye widened but he remained quiet. He would have to get used people becoming scared of him. Because soon, it would be a normal reaction to everyone he met. After a while, Hojo finished patching Cloud up.

"Alright, why don't we wash those wings off? They still have blood everywhere." Hojo suggested.

"Okay." Cloud quietly said.

Hojo grabbed and filled a bucket full of water. He gently poured it over Cloud's wings, washing the blood from them. You know, they wern't as horrifying as Cloud thought they would be. There were unique. That made him unique. He was different, and maybe in due time, he would learn to like his wings. For now, he was still trying to keep himself sane after what all happened today. Cloud was acually glad that Zack was there.

"Hey...Zack?" Cloud asked quietly.

"Yeah?" Zack responded with a small smile.

"t-Thank you." Cloud said, pulling out a weak grin from his face.

That made Zack brightly smile. "You're welcome a thousand times." He smiled, kissing his cheek.


	4. Chapter 4: Of Mothers and Organizations

Alright! It's chapter four! :D I don't know if any of you are still trying to recover from the sudden shock of chapter three, but here's chapter four anyway, Ny the way...I AM SO SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT! I know you've all been dying to know what happens for months now probably, but I got too caught up in other stories and also had writers black for this one. But I am back now, so enjoy it while you can XD ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
~XChapter 4: Of Mothers And OrganizationsX~

"Hey Hojo, With all that bloodloss, shouldn't Cloud be all dizzy?" Zack asked when Cloud was done being cleaned up from the blood splattered on his body.

"No, like I said before, he had too much blood, now that he's back down to the normal twelve pints, it shouldn't affect him." Hojo said, cutting holes in a shirt.

"Hey, why are you cutting holes in that shirt?" Cloud asked, his wings folded against his back. He did not know how to make them disappear into his back.

"Well, wouldn't you like to be able to wear clothes comfortably?" Hojo asked, calulating the hole size needed.

Cloud just quieted down and looked down from the table he was still sitting on. He was still in his tattered uniform, large holes in the back where his wings were. Blood was dotted messily around the shirt and pants. His one hand was gripping the end of the cold metal table tightly. His fingers were starting to go white.

"Hey, ease up. You'll be fine." Zack said, resting his hands over Cloud's.

"Ha...I wonder." Cloud sadly scoffed, continuing to look down and away from Zack.

"Okay, you change." Hojo said, tossing the clothes at Cloud.

They landed sloppily on his wings. He sighed and went to pull them off, when he did, his bare hand brushed across his fleshy wing. His eye grew wide and he shrieked. His wings, connected to his emotions, expanded and flapped, bloody flesh dripping from the tips. A small piece of flesh landed on Cloud's lap. He gagged and dry-heaved.

"I've become such a disgusting...horrible freak of nature!" Cloud shouted, jumping off the table and starting to run. His wings flapped, slightly lifting him from the ground, and making him stumble as he ran.

"Cloud, come back!" Zack exclaimed chasing after. Cloud quickly whirled away to the window.

"What on gaia do you think you're doing!?" He shouted, gripping one of Cloud's fleshy wings.

They were slimey from the tissue and blood stained muscel. Zack couldn't help but gag and release Cloud, in which stumbled forward and fell to the ground sobbing.

"s-See? You think I'm disgusting too." He grunted, resting his head against the cold tile of the lab floor.

"n-No Cloud, that's not it, I just-" Zack began to quickly say.

"Just what? You just couldn't stand the way these acursed wings felt against your own skin? How, gross, fleshy and slimey they felt to the touch? How, disturbingly deformed they are?" Cloud's wings flapped, and lifted him from the ground. "If you can't stand me...Then who will?" He asked, pressing himself against the window.

He was ready to jump. Since he couldn't fly, he was bound to go and kill himself, but Zack thought he knew that already.

"Cloud, don't do that." Zack said, nearing him. Cloud pressed his one arm against the glass, as hard as he could, resulting in pops and snaps.

"Zack...You should have let me die like my sister." He seemed to angrily growl.

"No, I couldn't let that happen!" Zack exclaimed, taking another step towards Cloud. Regardless of pleas, Cloud slammed a fist against the glass and shattered it.

"Don't jump you fool! You can't even fly yet!" Hojo shouted.

"Ha, Who said I was going to fly?" He smirked.

"Cloud...Don't. You. Dare." Zack angrily growled.

"If you won't let me die, then I'll do it myself." Cloud said. Then, he lept out the window.

"No you don't!" Zack shouted, jumping after.

Hojo was left standing there with the most dumbfounded expression on his pale face. Cloud felt strong arms wrap around his waist as he fell. When he looked, he saw Zack, clinging to him like a little girl clutching her favorite doll.

"What the hell are you doing you idiot?" Zack shouted over the rush of the wind as they fell at a rapid pace.

"Might I ask you the same question? Do you want to die too?" Cloud asked, almost angry.

"I love you too much to let you die alone! If you die, then I'm following you all the way to hell! Beacause if you do this, that's where your going to be!" Zack shouted.

The ground quickly approached, and Cloud flapped his wings hurridly. He was able to slow their fall and slightly hover before hitting ground. They were both alive, only cuts and scrapes. Cloud made sure he took the blow when crashing to hard concrete, so Zack wouldn't be hurt. His back and wings were hurting him now. Zack stopped clinging to his waist. Instead his arms draped around his neck tightly.

"Thank Shiva you came to your scences you idiot!" He exclaimed upset and angry. He didn't even care that his hands were touching Cloud's wings.

"You know...I think I'm growing to like these wings of yours." He said, brushing a gloved hand over them tenderly. Cloud flinched and moved his wing away.

"How could you like those wings? I can't even stand them." Cloud grunted, holding back hot tears.

"Because they're a part of you. Plus, I love you for you." He smiled.

Cloud looked away from Zack's eyes, as tears fell out of his. The way Zack could scold him like a child that had done wrong always made him feel terrible.

"Don't ever do something like that again you idiot!" Zack growled, becoming angry with Cloud again. It was as if he was scolding a puppy for chewing the furniture. Cloud's wings wrapped around the two.

"So...You really don't care?" He asked, drying his tears. Zack rested his hand, over where Cloud's right eye should have been.

"Not at all." He smirked.

Cloud gave a little smile, and he felt his wings shrink, and retreat into his back, they disappeared. By this time, his hair was now completely black. He had lost all of the blonde.

"Come on, let's go back up, alright?...but, how did you get them to disappear like that anyway?" Zack asked.

"I don't know." Cloud said as Zack stood up and helped him off the ground. There was a crack in the concrete from where they landed.

"Well, We'll figure it out." Zack smirked as the two entered the building again. They took the elevator up to Hojo's lab and entered through the door.

"Good Gaia! You two are fools!" He exclaimed when he saw them alive. Zack helped Cloud back up onto the table.

"Oh yeah, he kinda got a few cuts, think you can take care of that?" Zack asked, ruffling Cloud's now midnight black hair.

"Oi..." Hojo grumbled, but he ended up patching Cloud up again.

"Now what are you two going to do?" Hojo asked as he washed a bit more blood from Cloud's back.

It was silent for a few seconds. It seemed as if no one knew, until a tender voice spoke up to break the tension that the silence was pleading for.

"I want to go and see my mother." Cloud said, finally putting on the shirt from earlier. It fit nice. It was just a plain black shirt, with two holes for his wings.

"Your mother? Doesn't she live in Nebelheim?" Hojo asked.

"Yeah...I want her to know what's happened. Plus, I haven't seen her since my last mission to Nebelheim." Cloud said, also changing into some black cargo pants that Hojo had given him. After all, his uniform was ripped and stained with crimson blood, lots of it too. He slopped them next to him on the table.

"Fine, what are you waiting for? Go." Hojo said, shooing him out of his lab. He seemed to be anxious to get them out of there.

"So, how are we going to get there? I'm not sure if you want to use your wings just yet." Zack said.

"No...It's fine. The sooner I know how to control them, the better." Cloud said from outside Hojo's lab door.

"Hmm, He seemed happy to kick us out." Zack pondered, gazing interntly at the metal door.

Cloud just shrugged as his wings returned from his back gently. Receeding back, had taken care of most of the loose flesh and blood, revieling that under the loose flesh, his wings were black, almost bat like, with little red veins coursing from them. They looked stunning, even if there was still a lot of flesh masking the beauty of the wings. He would have marvelous wings when the time would soon come.

"Okay, I might have to take breaks a lot but..." Cloud began. He tried to pick Zack up and fly, but the difference in height and weight was too much.

"Cloud, I don't think you can lift me." Zack chuckled as he felt cool wind almost slap against his face from how fast Cloud's wings were flapping.

"n-No...I got it." Cloud strained to say.

"No you don't. Let's just call up one of the turks to give us a ride. After all. I don't think you could only lift me with just one arm." Zack said, keeping his weight pressed firmly against the ground.

Cloud's single eye widened at the comment and he hurridly let go of Zack and stopped flapping his wings. Zack realized the error in his sentence.

"Wait, I didn't mean it like that Cloud! Honest!" He quickly said with a worried look in his eyes.

"Alright, let's go then." He muttered, whirling around. His wings were able to disappear into his back. Zack quickly wrapped his arms around Cloud's neck loosely.

"I'm sorry if I struck a nerve on that. I didn't mean it in any bad way. I'll try to watch my words around you now." He said softly.

"It's okay..." Cloud replied somberly, not wanting to be held right now. Zack senced this and let him go.

As they left the hallway, Hojo removed his ear from the door. He quickly ran over to a corner of his lab, and pulled out a cell phone from his pocket. he dialed up a number very quickly. A few rings.

"Hello? Yes, It's me, Hojo...I'm calling with good news for you...We have another level eight...Hmm? Yes, He's leaving for Nebelheim, be sure to bring in reinforcements...A first class is tagging along. Yes...I understand." Hojo said before hanging up. A devious grin crept across his pale face.

He had something up his sleeve, just like with the last level eight...


	5. Chapter 5: I've Wanted To Tell You

Chapter five! Out so quick because all my wonderful readers deserve more than one chapter for an update! I've let this one settle to the bottom of my unfinished work, so I'm re-surfacing this one, and I hope you continue to enjoy this story, so, let's get started, shall we? ^-^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
~XChapter 5: I've Wanted To Tell YouX~

Zack and Cloud were sitting on seperate sides of the helicopter they were riding in. Reno had nothing to do today, and volentiered to take the two to Nebelheim. Zack's eyes were locked on Cloud, still worried for his friend's sanity and well being. Cloud's eyes were locked solely to the floor, staring at the floor of the chopper. He was too afraid to look up. Now he was having second thoughts on visiting his mother. What if she did shun him? What if she wouldn't even accept him as her son anymore? The questions banged around repeatidly in Cloud's mind, He only heavily sighed and tried to clear his mind. To no avail, only more questions he had no answers to resurfaced. His now midnight black brows furrowed together deeply. The silence was choking, suffocating almost.

"Hey...We're almost there you two." Reno called from the piolets seat.

"Alright, thanks again Reno." Zack thanked.

"No problem." He replied, turning on some switches on the dash of the chopper. The silence overcame those small words exchanged once again, and continued to corrode the air in an invisible hold.

"Cloud." Zack said after what seemed like two eons of silence. Cloud slowly lifted up his head. His eye was glimmering in an unfamilier light that Zack knew all too well. "Stop worrying...I know your mother will still accept you. That's what mothers do." He said, trying to console his friend.

Cloud remained quiet, thinking it would be better to remain silent throughout the ride there. Zack stood up from his seat and walked over to Cloud, stopping just inches away from him. Cloud felt a gloved hand rest under his chin, and lift his face up, to look at the raven haired man in front of him.

"You can't hide in the silence forever you know." He pointed out, with a stern, yet calming gaze trapped behind his electric blue eyes. Cloud's eye widened slightly. His friend hit the nail on the head with that one and simple remark.

"I...I can try." Was all he said, pulling his face away to look at the floor once more.

"No you can't." Zack seemed to argue. When Cloud lifted up his head to protest, he stopped when he saw a light shining in Zack's eyes, signaling something Cloud did not know yet.

"It won't be good to be a recluse." He said, giving a small smirk that appeared to be forced. Even the sentence he spoke seemed forced.

"Hey, we're here, yo!" Reno called to the two. The chopper door slid open.

"Alright, let's go." Zack said, helping his friend up.

Cloud was reluctant to leave, but he figured, the sooner this was over, the sooner he could heal, or the sooner he could become even more broken. The two stepped out into the sunlight as the chopper died down. It was a cool day in september. The sun was warm and the breeze was cool. Cloud took in a few deep breaths of the fresh air from the country to settle his now churning stomach. Zack was standing right beside him, a worried little glint in his usually happy blue eyes.

"I...I'm fine, Zack." Cloud replied, finding a small smile from the depths of his heart. Even if the world were to turn on him, he would always have one friend that stuck by his side. This caused Zack's eyes to lighten and a smile to form on the corners of his lips.

"Alright! You're making a comeback! That's my little Cloudy!" Zack grinned, ruffling his hair.

Cloud released a sall, pent up little chuckle. The two began to walk across the dirt path, until shortly arriving at Cloud's house. He paused in front of the door. He looked frightened.

"Hey, don't be scared. It's only your mother." Zack soothed with a small smile. Cloud nodded and took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

"Just a minute!" A young female voice echoed from behind the wooden door. She opened up the door.

"Hello boys, what can I-" She stopped midsentence when she saw Cloud, and her eyes widened.

As if it was second nature, Cloud's eye widened fearfully, thinking his mother was scared of him. But instead, she lept at him and threw her arms around his neck. Her face nuzzled into the base of his neck.

"My little boy!" She happily exclaimed.

"y-You could tell it was me?" Cloud asked curiously.

She looked up at him with a smile. "I can always recognize you, silly. I'm your mother after all." She slightly giggled.

One of her hands rested over where Cloud's right eye should have been. "But look at you...You're all beat up again." She sadly cooed.

"It's fine." Cloud replied.

"Come in, come in! Bring your little friend too!" She said, finding a smile behind her pink lips now that her boy was back to her again. The two entered the house and the door shut behind them.

"Oh, sorry for not introducing myself earlier, but I'm Zack Fair...I'm a good friend of Cloud's." He smiled.

"Zack? Oh yes! I knew that name was familier!" She exlcaimed, slapping a fist into the palm of her other hand.

"Oh? You know of me?" Zack pryed with a curious little grin.

"Of course! My son writes about you all the time!" She smiled. A slight flush of embarresment crept across Cloud's face.

"Oh does he now?" Zack grinned, looking back at Cloud.

He started to stand shyly, and look down at the floor. "Mom...You're embarresing me..." He mumbled quietly.

"That's a mothers job." She smirked playfully.

"So...What all did he write about me?" Zack prodded curiously, with a devious intention.

"Well, he always said that he looked up to you in the beginning, then a couple of weeks later, he wrote that your and him were already fast friends. And just recently, about a week and a half ago, he wrote to me that he didn't know if he just saw you as a friend anymore." She smirked, having fun in making her son go all bashful.

"Mom!..." Cloud weakly pipped up, looking up at the two. His face was beet red. Zack's eyes even widened slightly. She giggled, seeing that her little mission was accomplished.

"Why don't you two go have some fun outside?" She suggested.

"Oh...Before we do...There's something I need to show you...Just promise that you won't disown me for it." Cloud spoke up, becoming nervous again.

He took a deep breath, and his wings slowly emerged from his back. All of the flesh that had once been a part of them, were all but gone now. Revieling the true beauty of his black and veiny wings. His mothers eyes widened, but she approached slowly. Cloud grew a little fearful again, and almost took a step back out of pure reflex. He hand slowly traced one of his red viens, and over to the velvety feeling of the appendiges.

"Cloud...Your wings are beautiful...How you got them I don't know, but I'm slightly jealous." She said, eyes thinning down as her lips pulled into a smile.

"y-Your not afraid of me?" Cloud asked as his mother continued to brush her hand across his wings.

"No...I'll never be afraid of you...Even if these wings made you what some people call a 'monster' I would never be afraid of you." She soothed. Cloud even began to smile. "Thank you." He said.

"It's no problem. I love you." She smiled, wrapping him into a hug. Cloud used his one good arm to hug her back. Zack smiled brightly with his hands latched behind his back.

"Hey, wanna go outside?" Zack suggested.

Cloud released his mother from the hug. "Sure." He replied, no longer fearful or saddened.

Looks like he would make a full recovery from this after all. The two went outside, and the sun greeted them brightly. The world had been wamred in that short time they were inside.

"Hey, let's go and sit at the well." Zack suggested.

"Alright." Cloud agreed, following Zack from behind.

They climbed their way up, and sat down next to each other. It was silent between the two. The only things you could hear was the rustle of the leaves from nearby trees. They seemed to whisper a language that only other trees could understand. It was soothing.

"Hey..." Zack spoke up after the silence.

"What is it?" Cloud asked, looking up at him.

Zack had a new glaze behind his eyes. But what was it? Adoration? Comfort? It looked to be a mix of many emotions that Cloud couldn't understand yet.

"There's something I've been wanting to tell you for a while...Since a little before the mission in Mideel." He explained.

Cloud's eye was intently locked onto his older friend. Zack seemed to be blushing slightly, for his cheeks were a slight shade of pink. "And that is?" Cloud pryed, cocking his head to the right slightly.

He felt Zack's glaved hand, rest against his own. Zack looked at his friend straight in the eyes. "Well...Here goes..." He said, preparing himself for his next choice of words. Cloud's eye was still locked onto Zack.

"Cloud...I lo-"

"Look! Right there! Up on the well!" Someone shouted.

The two looked over, to see a multitude, of what appeared to be soliders. But they were unfamilier to the two.

"That's him! That's what Hojo described to us! Contain him! But be wary of the first class!" The superior officer shouted. Soon, dozens of infantrees surrounded the well. Zack shot up to his feet and unsheathed his sword.

"Hojo...You dirty rotten son of a bitch." Zack growled.

What was he planning now? Whatever it was, it involved Cloud. He wouldn't let ANYBODY have him! He jumped down from the well, and began to fight off the infantrees surrounding it. But a multitude more just continued to pour in everytime one went down. Cloud was shocked. He didn't know what to do!

In his confused state of mind, his wings ripped out of his back quickly, causing pain and making Cloud scream. This sudden shockwave of pain, turned his eye crimson red, and where his right arm should have been, was replaced by a demonic looking arm. His black hair grew to his waist all at once. He was a completely different person.

"He's changing! Just like Hojo said he would! We've got to stop the BloodRage!" One of the other superiours shouted.

Bloodrage? Zack thought while defending Cloud.

"HA! The first looks confused." One of the standby officers smirked.

"Should we explain?" Another asked deviously.

"Might as well, while the others are all busy." A third piped up.

The infantrees began to lay off Zack for a minute, but still nevertheless, relentless. "What. The hell. Is. A. BloodRage?" Zack said inbetween sword swings.

"Level Eight mako addiction survivors, not only have their DNA changed, but their personality changes when they enter a BloodRage. Because level eight, gives them a split personality from the doubled, or even tripled, blood, or whatever was increased. They only snap when their life is in danger." One explained.

"So? How does he come out of it?" Zack asked, trying to pant for breath. Why on Gaia was he communicating with the people after Cloud anyway?

Cloud jumped down from the well, wingspan twice as big as it was before. His bat like claws on the ends of his wings became sharp little weapons. He began to slice at troopers endlessly. The other officers lunged into battle, using tranquilizer darts to try and bring him down. After three tranquilizers hit him, he began to stumble around, trying to regain balance. His hair shrunk back, the demonic arm disappeared, his eye went back to being blue, and his wings shrunk to normal size. He looked over, disorianted and weary. All of his energy had been zapped away, and the tranquilizers were starting to work already. His eye locked onto Zack, who was now busy trying to fight off troopers while get over to Cloud's side quickly.

"Zzzack..." Cloud grunted, as he hit the ground with a loud thud. Troopers then began to bind him up using a large net. Tears swelled in his eye as his good arm reached for Zack desperatly.

"Help...me, Please...Zack..." Cloud moaned before the troopers lifted him up and began to run back to a large van.

He looked so frightened. His eye was wide and tears cascaded down his face endlessly. They tossed him inside.

"Help!" He shouted before his head klunked against the floor of the vehicle and his hand fell with.

"CLOUD!" Zack screamed, trying to still fight his way out of it.

When the van started up, the troopers pulled back and ran away with the officers. Zack began to chase them, but he couldn't outrun a vehicle. He had to give up. That frightened look that Cloud gave him ,was stuck in his mind. His teeth were tightly gritted and his fists were clentched so tight, he was cutting off the cicrulation to his hand.

"Damn it...Why?" He growled angrily. A few tears of bitter anger flowed down his face and dripped off his chin.

"I was going to tell him...Now this..." He grumbled. His head shot up. And angry look on his face.

"I WILL find you! Count on it!" Zack shouted to the empty air, in hope that Cloud could somehow hear him. He had something important he needed to tell Cloud.

He was going to find him, not matter what the cost...


	6. Chapter 6: Futile Resistance

Whaa~~~! Chapter six is HERE! *dodges Sephiroth's Masumane* Okay, what the hell was that? *Looks out to see angry readers from my departure of this story* Oh, that's what that was... *Shrinks away* Anyway! Don't let me rambles keep you from this story! Enjoy! ^-^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
~XChapter 6: Futile ResistanceX~

Cloud felt his vision coming to. He blinked rapidly and used his good arm to rub away the tired feeling from his one and only good eye. He groaned softly as the effects of the tranquilizer were still heavy on his mind. A bright light suddenly flashed into his face and scoped around his eye. He blinked and tried to use his hand to shield the light, but a large and burly hand forced it away as the light continued to circle his eyes, maybe checking for abnormalities? He could always hope it was something trivial like that.

"His eyes are good." A rough sounding voice confimed.

"Good." A rather familier and squeaky voice seemed to cackle.

The light finally disappeared. Cloud had series of drifters running around in his eye. He rapidly tried to blink them away. He looked around. He was in an unfamilier place. It was not Shinra, nor their labs. Where on earth was he? He continued to look around as the drifters slowly began to disappear. Three people surrounded him.  
He would have tried to jump up and fly away, but he was chained to the ground, and his wings were bandaged together tightly, as a constrictive hold. He fought around from the chains and tried to stand up, but there was not enough slack in the chains to allow him the privilage. He fell back down to the ground.  
He looked up at the three people dressed in lab coats. Those lab coats didn't frighten him, it was the surgical masks they were wearing that scared him.

"What are you going to do to me?" He weakly spoke up. His voice was quivering with each spoken word.

Without answer and without warning, he was stuck with an empty needle and syringe. Blood was drawn from his arm. He yelped and threw himself back against a wall. His head hit it with a thunk. One of the lab assistants took the blood over to a machine and began to analyze it. The other one walked over and looked behind the first one analyzing the blood. The third approached him.

"h-Hojo?" Cloud slightly stammered.

"Hello, Level Eight." He said with a wry smile. He had a clipboard in his hand. Cloud's eyes widened in rememberance.

"Where's Zack?" He quickly asked, trying to approached Hojo quickly. The chains held him back from even touching the shorter man.

"Back in Nebelheim I hope." Hojo replied, scribbling something down on the clipboard.

"You don't know?" Cloud almost shouted weakly at him.

"Quiet you." Hojo glared, still writing stuff down.

"You have to know!" Cloud protested with more confidence.

Hojo pulled something out of his pocket and rammed it against Cloud's neck. Electricity zapped throughout his body at a medium intensity. Cloud clentched his teeth together to keep from screaming as the untamed electricity coursed throughout his skull. Hojo pulled the little tazer back, turned it off, and stuck it back in his pocket. Cloud felt weak as he slouched over some.

"Try to speak out of turn again and you'll be on the floor twitching." Hojo promised, finishing up his writing.

"Hojo, the blood's been analyzed!" one of his assistants called.

He walked over to the machine and observed. A large and thin chesser-cat smile snuck across his face.

"This is wonderful! Alright, now let's put him in the chamber." Hojo ordered. The two assistants unchained Cloud but tightly gripped his arms to keep him from breaking free and running away.

"Hey! Get off!" Cloud growled, trying to fight them off. One of them nudged him roughly.

"Shut up." He ordered.

"Bite me!" Cloud growled, using his bandaged wings as a blunt object to smack into the first one's head.

He stumbled and fell to the ground. He used his blunt wings to smack the other one around as well. When he was freed from their grasp, he made a run for it out the door of the strange room. The halls he ran down were white. The walls, the ceiling, the floor, all white. Overhead lights flickered dimly above, he made a sharp left, hearing some others begin to chase after him.  
He ran down another hall, with cracks in the walls. A mouse scurried by and into it's hole. He turned a sharp left. Above a door in the distance read 'Exit'. Cloud broke out into the fastest sprint of his life. But it was not enough. Hojo easily caught up to him. God, he was a fast runner!

"Now now, we can't have you running off, Little Monster." Hojo grinned with bloodshot eyes, and that same chesser-cat smile. He pulled out his trusty tazer and set it to a high voltage. Cloud jumped backwards and began to ran the other way.

"Think you'll get away?" Hojo cackled as he quickly turned around and ran at a faster speed to catch up to the young boy.

He rammed the tazer right into Cloud's back. The intencity of the electricity was so high, you sould see blue sparks of it fly in every direction. Cloud felt some of his skin make a sizzle sound from the heat of ten-thousand volts coursing through his body. He collapsed to the cracking white tiled ground below. Foam and saliva spewing from his mouth, mucus dripping from his nose, and tears cascading down his face. He shook violently and his fingers twitched rapidly. He had no control over his body what-so-ever.

"Hmm, Looks like we'll have to contain you for quite some time." Hojo grinned.

Two more assistants hurried over and picked Cloud up. They lead him back to the room he had just escaped. He passed the chains that were holding him down just minutes ago and he was carried into a different room. It was more dark, but three large tube containers were there.  
There was a man in the far left one. He was submerged in lilac liquid. His black hair was everywhere within the liquid prison. Cloud got a moment to really look at him. He looked to have been here for years now. He was dropped into the middle tube.

"Now, you behave in there while we figure out what to submerge you in." Hojo smiled, following his assistants over to a table of switches and levers not too far off on the left side of the room.

Cloud watched them for a minute, until he thought he felt a pair of eyes staring at him from behind. When he turned around, the man's eyes were open and burning his crimson cinders of eyes into Cloud's oceanic colored eyes. He blinked at him, and held up his hand. Cloud was confused at first, until the man began to wave at him. Cloud caught on and shyly waved back.

He looked back over to Hojo and the assistants. They were done with their calculations and the pressed a button. Mint green liquid began to shower over Cloud, and rapidly fill the cylindar tube he was in. When it got up to his neck, he began to panic. What could he do now? Trapped and about to drown for the third time?  
As a last resort, he used his still bangaged wings to smack against the glass. Instead, when it made contact, his wings bounced back and the tube shook and vibrated from impact. It echoed into his ears and he flinched.

"Relax, and just breathe it in...You will not drown." Hojo seemed to promise.

Cloud didn't know if he should trust him or not. He looked over to the man on his right for advice. He nodded in agreement to Hojo's comment. Cloud relaxed and sat down on the bottom of the tube under the liquid. he closed his eyes tightly. He slowly breathed it in. As he realized he felt no need for air, his eyes slowly opened. The world was surrounded in a mint green tint. He felt a drowsy need for sleep overcome him.

_'Zack.'_ He thought before the darkness enveloped him completely.


End file.
